Xalexandeb m mackey



' @uiten tatre @anni @filtra I .Letters Patent Noi 75,687, dated .March 17,1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN GEN'IRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR DRAINING SUGAR.

itin .rtgthnlz nient tu in ligase Etains gntrint :uit mating put nf ttt stmt.

To wnou rr MAY ooNeEnN:

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER MACKEY, ofthe city, county, and State of New York, have invented n. new

and useful Improvement in Centrifugal Machinery for Washing or Raising the Grade of Raw Sugar; and I l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of the revolving part of a centrifugal sugar-machine, showing the position of the movable cone as inserted in the basket of the machine.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of thercone, showing the position and construction of the guides, and the wedge-shaped pieces attached to the guides and the cone, for theprevention of any sugar remaining behind the guides on raising the cone from the machine,`and thereby causing loss; also the perpendicular` edge onlthe bottom of the cone. p v i q *L Similar letters of reference indica-te corresponding parts in all the drawings.. 4 y 1 The'ohject of my invention is to increase the eiiicieney of what are commonly known as centrifugal sugarmachines, and it consists in the employment of a novel means of tiring the detached cone securely in a. perfectly central position in the basket of the machine during thelprocess of charging, and of retaining it in a central position while being removed from the'same. y

I do not claim the invention of the cone-loader, a's patented by George E; Evans, of Boston, Massachusetts, under date September 3, 1867, but an improvement on the same, which consists in a perpendicular edge on the lower portion ofthe cone, together with the guides and the wedge-shaped pieces, as shown in the drawings marked 2, attached. I v,

The objection to the cone-loader as patented by Mr. Evans, consists, in the springs clasping the fixed cone I), which do not prevent the movable'cene E from being pushed outof its proper position by any unevenness in the disposition of the sugar duringuthe operation of charging, and consequentlyeausing, when the cone is lifted from the machine, an irregular wall of sugar in point of thickness, thereby materially affecting the appearance of the sugar washed, as well as greatly reducing the yield, for thc workman, as a matter of course, must apply the same quantity of wat-er to the thinner portions ofthe wall of sugar as he does to the thicker parts, the result of which is, waste of sugar or less yield in'the rst result, as well as an uneven product in appearance. In order to explain this more fully, aV wall of'sugarthree and one-half inches in thickness usually requires to be sprinkled with water for about twenty-five seconds Vin order to bringit up to an Ex. C. grade, which is 'i generally attended with a loss of from fifteen to eighteen per cent. on weight of charge put in.

When the wall is of uniform thickness, the product will be most uniform in appearance and quality, but

.A make portions-of the wall two and one-half inches in some parts, and in others three, and so up to the three undone-half, it is readily seen that the same quantity of water applied-to the two and one-half inches portion of the wall will make `amuch higher grade of sugar than when applied to lthe three, and the three-inch portion still a different style from the three and one-halfinch part, and, therefore, in order to run the thicker portion of the wall up to grade, the thin part mnstbe overdone, or, in other words, too large a per cent. washed away,

which is of course a loss. r

It is readily seen bythe drawing that my improvement to the conc must retain it ina central position, and form, when lifted from the machine, a perfectly even wall, thereby adding to the results, both in appearance and yield.

To enable others' to understand the construction and operation of my invention, I will proceed to describe it in reference to the drawings. V

B represents the revolving centrifugal basket; D, the iixed cone; C, the spindle; E, the movable cone; Y

F F, the guides, attached to the movable cone; T T, the wedge-shaped pieces attached to the guides and cone, shaped as shown in deeper red lines on guides F I". S S is the perpendicular edge ou the cone, about two and one-halt` inches wide. p Y

My improved apparatus is operated as follows: Sugar to be washed is measured and dropped from a charger above into the centrifugal basket, the sugar lying upon the cone E. The machine is then started in motion,

und, when suiicient velocity is attained, the workmen grasps firmly the revolving handle G, and slowly raises it vertically from the basket, the centrifugal force retaining the wall of sugar in position, when the water is at once applied, the quantity of which depends on the character of the sugar being worked, which the skilled workman perfectly comprehends.

I do not claim the cone es applied to the loading of centrifugal machine, as my invention, but limit my claim to the improvement on the same, as herein described.

What I claim es my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. The guides F F and. the wedge-shaped pieces T T, substantially as described. 2. The perpendicular edge on lower or larger end of cone, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

ALEXR. MACKEY.

Witnesses F. W CLARKE, E. MILLER. 

